9.18.2012

The Closest Thing to a Soul I'll Ever Have

...i'm heading to the Southern Women Writers Conference at Berry College at the end of the week...i'll be on a panel with other creative writers, reading from my memoir-in-progress, specifically the essay that started it all...on sunday, i'll be part of a workshop with a small group of other non-fiction writers and they'll have comments and feedback for the introduction to the entire book...i'm looking forward to this conference because it'll be the first time that i'll sit down with another group of non-fiction writers and discuss our writing, projects, and aspirations...

...i know it's easy to become dependent on the workshop environment, to constantly need or seek feedback, but there's a part of me--the part that's been without that environment for several years--that is elated to participate and eager to talk shop...

...i suppose it's the part of me that doesn't see writing as a hobby, something to fill my nights or to work on between jobs...it's the same part of me that sees writing as, in the end, difficult, challenging, painful and liberating...it's the closest thing to a soul i'll ever have...it'll be refreshing to be surrounded by a like-minded group of women who see writing as more than fun, a trite endeavor to please a circle of friends...

...that isn't to say that writing isn't "fun"...sure it is...but i hate that adjective...i tell my writing students it's vapid, meaningless, and what i consider fun (pushing pseudo-artistic wanna-be's, who're nearly senior citizens but still rely on Daddy for opinions and perspective, down several flights of stairs) is probably not their idea of fun (an evening of apple TV)...there's always a better word or phrase...like "bleeding on the page"--that's fun for me, opening my veins for the world to see...or "telling the truth"--really fun, especially when it's about me and Adam...or my favorite "making the memories sing"--it's so much fun when i capture the exact phrase of a moment that i gift myself with an m&m...

...so i'll be off on a "fun" four-day jaunt, surrounded by writers who enjoy bleeding for their craft...who seek truth in their art...who'll be singing their verses and the verses of others...

...wish me luck...

2 comments:

  1. It really is SO hard. I never feel like I have anything of interest or substance to say. Even on my silly food and "lifestyle" blogs. But I don't consider any of that "writing", more just kind of taking notes on my life.
    Mrs. Parks would be ashamed of my decline. haha
    I love "making the memories sing", great description. I think you are nailing that. :) Good luck at the conference!

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    1. I don't think your blogs are silly...and I still judge myself against DuPratt, who would probably call much of my writing overdone;)
      --jwy

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